Still pondering the less oil ball selection. Saw the video posted last week on the Motiv Tank and wondered how that or another urethane ball compares to the Scream/Shout or Vibe for that matter?

I can compare/contrast the Shout to the solid Storm Natural, so happens I was just practicing with them today.

I was hoping to play pretty close to the ditch (short pattern being used for the next two weeks in the sport shot league, at a different house). No idea what they had put out on that lane but I was able to play out to 3 or 4 at the arrows with the Natural (normally impossible for me without doing something drastic to ball speed and hand release).

The last game I decided to switch to the Shout. I rolled the first one at the same alignment and it held pocket, but I could tell it didn't want to. I moved in to 6 at the arrows, much better (with the Natural it would have been very difficult to carry from 6, I really wish I knew what I was bowling on!)

The layouts and surface are both different, but the thing that strikes me most is the difference in shape. The urethane ball seems to hook early which to my eyes looks like it will be a bad thing, but then it just sets up and goes in at a milder angle than the reactive ball. Meanwhile the Shout is still very predictable when it does make it's move, and has more recovery. I like them both, I would say that I want the urethane when I'm trying to grind out a 200ish score on difficult conditions, where the Shout is (at least in my hands) more capable of keeping up with a higher scoring environment when the lanes are tough but not TOO tough. Not to say one can't throw up big numbers with urethane, if it matches up well you sure can.

I'm attempting to build a Bowling ball arsenal. I'm a new bowler only really playing on a 42" house shot. I'm more of a stroker that may break 300 RPM's on a good day. (estimate only). I currently have a Ebonite Cyclone, IQ Tour Fusion, and Optimus. They are all 15lbs and have the OOB finish. They are also all drilled for length with near maximum flare. My issue/question is that they all seem to work the same. If I find a good line for the current lane conditions with the Fusion, I can take out the optimus and play the same line or vice versa. I've actually thrown Turkeys with same line alternating balls. Are these balls just too similar to be effective with current OOB surface? Is it my Rev Rate masking the differences in the balls? Should I expect this out of a House shot?

Bowling ball performance can be confusing. I've often found that weaker bowling balls will cover MORE boards than stronger bowling balls, depending on lane condition.

Without being there it's difficult to say what's happening. It's possible that you're playing "in the dirt", meaning mostly in the dry boards. Any reactive ball is going to find plenty of friction (and early friction) in that case. Where performance bowling balls really show their differences IMO is heavy oil, which you may never see if you only play the THS and play 2nd arrow and outside of it. In other words, on a dry lane both my UpRoar and Defiant Soul see plenty of friction, and the UpRoar is cleaner through the fronts so it can hook more in back. Put the same two balls on a heavy condition, the Defiant Soul is able to read the midlane and hook, while the polished UpRoar just skids thru the pin deck.

Again it's tough to say what you're experiencing but these are just ideas I'm throwing out.

The other problem here is, the Fusion and Optimus are actually pretty close in overall hook potential. The Cyclone is really a medium-oil ball, has the cover off The One which was Ebonite's heavy-oil ball not that many years ago, and has a pretty strong core too... so it's not all that far behind the others in hook potential (not as much as one might think, anyways). With one medium-oil ball and two medium-to-heavy bowling balls, you're not going to see a lot of separation in your arsenal, rather lots of overlap.

I am also building an arsenal, I currently have a Hyper Cell drilled 4x4x2 for heavy oil, I have a Optimus as a benchmark ball that I have not drilled yet, I have a Motiv Ascent Apex for dryer conditions, also not yet drilled, and a White Dot for spares..My question is, how should I drill the Optimus and the Ascent? The Hyper Cell works great on fresh with 4x4x2, do I do the same pattern hoping I have a decent choice of balls and I wouldn't have any overlap with the same drill pattern, or maybe something different? I mainly bowl on 42' house patterns. Is my ball selection ok, too?

I am also building an arsenal, I currently have a Hyper Cell drilled 4x4x2 for heavy oil, I have a Optimus as a benchmark ball that I have not drilled yet, I have a Motiv Ascent Apex for dryer conditions, also not yet drilled, and a White Dot for spares..My question is, how should I drill the Optimus and the Ascent? The Hyper Cell works great on fresh with 4x4x2, do I do the same pattern hoping I have a decent choice of balls and I wouldn't have any overlap with the same drill pattern, or maybe something different? I mainly bowl on 42' house patterns. Is my ball selection ok, too?

Based on the core numbers and the surface materials, I think that you will find the the Hyper Cell will actually be your middle (benchmark) ball, with the Optimus being more for heavier conditions and the Ascent Apex for drier conditions. Your 4X4X2 drilling is pretty strong, and is a good layout for most medium rev/medium speed bowlers. I would recommend sticking with the same layout for all of the balls so that you can see the actual differences between them which makes on-the-fly ball change adjustments much easier. You can also adjust the surfaces to move them further apart or closer together.

Your ball selection is OK, however at some point you might want to add something between the two more aggressive balls and the less aggressive ball. Something like a Storm Sky Rocket would fit nicely, I think.

My sense is that it's not something on the high end, but rather something in the middle of the road that you can adjust from.

I currently have 3 balls that I'm using:

Rotogrip Dagger - more or less what I consider a benchmark but not sure if it truly qualifiesRotogrip Mutant Cell Pearl - for more oilAMF Angle - dry and for spares (OK, I know it's ancient)

Was thinking I might need to expand the arsenal and go with a pure plastic ball for spares or something more this century than the Angle?

Interesting to look back on this thread now.

I went with the Scream as my low oil shot and spare ball although I still usually tote the Angle to the lanes (it usually stays in the car) in a separate joey just in case the lanes are really burned up.

My Nomad Dagger has been replaced by a Storm Hy-Road Solid these days (only have room for 3 balls). Again maybe not a true benchmark ball, but it seems to work well for me thus far.

Don't put too much stock in the slighter higher RG of the Hyper Cell. Until very recently the Hyper Cell (solid) was the top, top shelf ball in Roto Grip's line. It has a ton of differential and about as strong a coverstock as Roto has put on a ball. Also with a strong mass bias number it's going to want to transition pretty fast. Strong ball.

Meanwhile the original Optimus (pearl) IS lower in RG, but doesn't have that super-strong cover or core asymmetry. Less diff, too. If anything IMO that cover can be over/under on a heavier condition. Optimus solid is a different animal, it didn't seem to go over too well but I'm not sure why.

Optimus wouldn't be my FIRST choice for a benchmark ball (I like a mid-range hybrid or solid for this slot, myself) but as a medium-heavy kind of ball it's not bad either. It comes polished but actually seems to work great with some surface too, don't be afraid to experiment!

Originally Posted By: Rob Mautner

Based on the core numbers and the surface materials, I think that you will find the the Hyper Cell will actually be your middle (benchmark) ball, with the Optimus being more for heavier conditions and the Ascent Apex for drier conditions. Your 4X4X2 drilling is pretty strong, and is a good layout for most medium rev/medium speed bowlers. I would recommend sticking with the same layout for all of the balls so that you can see the actual differences between them which makes on-the-fly ball change adjustments much easier. You can also adjust the surfaces to move them further apart or closer together.

Rather than begging for donations we're asking you to do one simple thing to help keep these forums running smooth:
When shopping for anything on Amazon.com or eBay please use these links to go to the web sites.

This won't cost you a cent!

You'll still get the exact same low prices, deals and free or low cost shipping; it doesn't change anything for you at all! The items do not have to be bowling related; all purchases made through these links help us! Amazon.com and eBay will pay us a small commission for every sale and it's helping us cover the expenses.

BowlingFans.com, BowlingFans, The Right Approach, Kegler's Connection, Tour411, BallBeat, BowlingCommunity.com, BowlSearch.com, and Bowling News You Can Use are trademarks of usrbingeek LLC. All other trademarks and tradenames are property of their respective owners.